Goodnight
by This is where my name would go
Summary: Tenzin and his girlfriend, Lin, babysit four year old Pema. What could possibly go wrong?


Tenzin was pouring over an ancient scroll on airbending when there was a light knock on the door. Before he could give an answer, the door opened slightly and the face of Tenzin's mother appeared through the crack.

"Can I come in?" she asked. Tenzin "hmphed" and she entered. "We need you to babysit" said his mother. Tenzin didn't look up from scroll.

"Ask Kya or Bumi," he said.

"Don't be silly, you know they went to the South Pole last week. Or have you forgotten already?" Tenzin didn't answer, still engrossed in his reading. "You know, it'd do you some good to get your head out of those scrolls once in a while."

"Hmph"

"The girl's name is Pema. You'll need to start babysitting around six." This time, Tenzin's head shot up.

"Tonight?" he asked.

"Yes, tonight. Pema's parents are going to see a show on the mainland." Said Katara.

"But-"

"Don't want to hear it. Meet Pema at her family's suite at 5:45." She turned and walked briskly out of the room and shut the door behind her. Tenzin groaned. He had planned an evening with his girlfriend, Lin, tonight. He sighed, stood up, and walked out of his room and down the hall to the phone.

She picked up on the second ring.

"Lin! So great to talk to you!" he began.

"Cut the garbage Tenzin." She ordered.

"Well… uh… it's about tonight…"

"Yes?" she prompted.

"You see… something came up and-"

"Are you canceling?" she demanded.

"Postponing more like"

"'Something came up.' Is this your excuse for sitting in your room reading those damned scrolls?"

"No, something really-"

"Is it another girl?"

"No! Well, sort of… but not like that!" Tenzin corrected quickly. "She's four. She's the daughter of some of the acolytes on the island" he explained.

"I don't believe you" said Lin. "I'll be there it 6:15 and you better not be lying." She hung up.

Tenzin slammed down the phone. Trust Lin to assume the worst. He had a feeling this was going to be a long evening.

Tenzin looked at Pema. Pema looked back at Tenzin.

The two were staring at each other from opposite ends of the room. Pema's big eyes were bright with interest and curiosity at the tall, older man in front of her. This was not their first meeting; living on a small island meant that everyone knew everyone. However, the interaction between the four year old and the twenty year old had been negligible.

Pema's parents re-entered the room.

"We'll be back in a few hours. Please make sure that she's in bed by 8:30." Said Pema's mother. Tenzin nodded and his eyes flicked to the clock. It was six; Lin would be arriving in just 15 minutes.

"Well then, we'll be off!" said Pema's father. He kissed his daughter on the top of her head and bowed to Tenzin before he and his wife left.

"So…Pema…" Tenzin asked awkwardly after the door had been shut.

"Why is your head so shiny?" asked Pema. Tenzin felt the top of his bald head.

"It's not shiny!" he defended.

"Is too. Of all the bald people, your head's the shiniest!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too"

"Is not"

"Is too times infinity!"

"Is not times infinity plus one, so there!"

"Is not what?" In the head of their bickering, they had failed to notice the door opening.

"Lin! You're early" said Tenzin.

"You weren't lying" Lin observed.

"Nice to know you have so much trust in me" said Tenzin.

"Who's this, your girlfriend?" asked Pema.

"Pema, this is Lin. Lin, this is Pema. Lin, could I talk to you in the kitchen for a second?" asked Tenzin. Lin nodded and followed him into the kitchen.

"I can't believe you actually came here! Do you know how inappropriate this is?" he asked once the kitchen door had been shut.

"Well, I had to know, didn't I? And besides, weren't you saying the other day that we don't spend enough time together? Well, here's an opportunity! Too bad the kid's here though. Yuck."

"Wha-? You mean you intend on staying?" Tenzin asked incredulously.

"Oh, Pema won't tell her parents if that's what you're worried about" assured Lin.

"How do you know?"

"HEY PEMA!" called Lin.

"YEAH?" came Pema's voice from the other room.

"DON'T TELL YOUR PARENTS I'M HERE, OKAY?"

"OKAY!"

"See, I told you." Said Lin to Tenzin. She exited the kitchen. Tenzin rolled his eyes and followed her to the main room.

Tenzin was relieved when 8:00 finally rolled around. Pema had made him play a variety of games, including "house" where she insisted that he play the wolfdog. Lin, who got to play the mother, could not stop laughing as Tenzin was forced to crawl around on his hands and knees barking.

Throughout the evening, Tenzin would occasionally catch Pema staring at him before she would realize that he noticed and snap out of it.

"Looks like someone has a crush" Lin teased as she nudged Tenzin with her elbow.

Now Pema had just finished washing up and Tenzin was about to turn off her light.

"Tenzin?" asked Pema as Tenzin's hand was on the light switch.

"Yes?" he sighed.

"Lin is pretty" she said.

"Yes, she is" agreed Tenzin.

"Are you in love?"

"Yes"

"Are you going to get married and be together forever?"

"I think so."

"I don't" said Pema.

"Yes we will. You'll see. Goodnight Pema."

"Goodnight."

Tenzin turned out the light and went to join his girlfriend in the living room.


End file.
